As parents we want our children to succeed in everything they do. And that includes succeeding in the school sports day. Often parents get far too involved with sports days. Sports day becomes an all-important focus in their lives. When their child wins an event, the euphoria overtakes them. When they lose, they go into morbid catatonia.
That’s why we shouldn’t lose sight of the things that make sports day important. Sports day is about so much more than just running fast or winning the egg-and-spoon. It’s about children and adults coming together for a big event. Sports day is about community. It’s about fresh air. And it’s about enjoying time with friends and neighbours.
If you want to make sports day the greatest day of the year, follow this advice.
Take It Seriously, But Not Too Seriously
Most parents are of the opinion that some degree of competition is healthy for their children. It’s what helps motivate them to do sport in the first place. And when they’ve practiced hard, winning the best team sports trophies can give a sense of pride.
But there’s a limit to how involved parents should get. There are stories of parents taking sports day to the extreme. In some instances, training has begin months in advance. And the training itself was more like something you’d find in an adult training programme. It was hardly appropriate for kids.
What’s more, many parents have been known to spend thousands of pounds on personal trainers, just to win events on sports day. But when you consider that the egg-and-spoon and three-legged race constitute half the events, is there any point? No, of course not.
Taking Part Also Matters
Of course, for every child that wins, there are a dozen who don’t. And so those children need some form of consolation prize. Taking part, after all, is still important.
If your child isn’t the most sporty, still engage with them. Ask them how they found the race. Is there anywhere they think they can improve? Did they feel proud of how they performed? If not, why not? Often it’s the taking part that can motivate children to get better at sport. But it takes the right attitude on the part of the child.
Prepare For The Parents Event
No sports day would be complete without a parents event. But over the years, parents events have become notorious. Unlike children, parents don’t have the supplest bodies. And this frequently leads to strains and injuries.
Here’s some advice. If you don’t have the fitness to participate, don’t. It’s better to stand out an event than sprain an ankle and have to spend weeks in physio.
If you do decide to take part, make sure you turn up wearing the right footwear. Too many sports days end up with parents with their faces in the dirt. And, of course, if you’re not wearing the right clothing on top, the results can be worse. Here’s a pro tip: go to your kid's sports day wearing your sports kit.
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